September 18, 2013: Commuting to Work

Date: September 18, 2013
Event: Commuting to Work
Location: New York City, Union Square
Cost: FREE (well, except for the cost of one subway ride)
Summary: It was a wee crowded on the subway this morning

I don’t often take the 4-5-6 train at rush hour. I’m fortunate that I can just as easily work at home as in the office so I’m pretty flexible as to when I actually go into the office. But today it so happened that I was ready to head to the office just before 8:00 am.

And MAN, was I reminded just how crowded the platform (and trains) on the 4-5-6 line get during morning rush hour. Now, don’t get me wrong. I actually don’t mind it. Not really. I mean, in New York you can choose to find such experiences as annoying or fascinating. I choose the latter. :)

With this subway line in this station, you can get a kind of ‘preview’ of what you’re going to face when you head down the stairs and onto the actual platform from which you’ll catch the train. So when I saw what I saw in the picture below, I decided to just stop for a moment, pause amongst the hustle and bustle, and actually *enjoy* the little bit of insanity, even marvel at it.

June 1, 2013: Name Tag Day!

Date:  June 1, 2013

Event:  Name Tag Day

Cost:  FREE

Summary:  Volunteers with the Awesome Foundation hand out thousands of name tags to New Yorkers so that we can say hi to each other by name as we pass each other on the side walk.  What's not to love?

Pretty much, the summary says it all.  What a fun idea.  I got my name tag while I was out at the Howl Festival (post on that to come) and managed to say 'hi' to two other people.  "Hi Terrance!" and "Hi Jenny!".  This resulted in smiles and waves.

Then, as I was headed back to my apartment, I was at Starbucks near Union Square (one of the locations where name tags were being handed out) and just as I was leaving these two women were coming in and I heard one say to the other, "What's with all the name tags?"  That also made me smile.

And finally, as I was headed across Union Square, I heard this, "Hi, Jill!" I turn and look and it's the person who gave me my name tag.  How he remembered my name I have no idea.  But we both waved at each other frantically.  And I smiled the rest of the way to my apartment.

Thank you Awesome Foundation.

Just a couple pictures after the jump.

May 23, 2013: Rain Storm in Union Square

Date:  May 23, 2013

Event:  And Then This Happened:  Rain Storm in Union Square

Cost:  FREE (and included a pair of soaking wet socks!)

Summary:  When life hands you a massive passing rain storm, take pictures.

I had an umbrella at work.  I try to keep one there in case it, you know, rains.  And while it was threatening when I left the office, no one outside was carrying one so I decided I could go without.  And I made it from the office to Grand Central just fine.  It was when I got to Union Square that I found I'd perhaps made the wrong decision.

Though, with how hard it was coming down, I'm not sure an umbrella would have made much difference.